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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. face — to point toward
  4. lie — to recline
  5. spring — of water
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. spring — a coil
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. root — of a plant
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. face — part of the head
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. spring — the season
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. face — to confront

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com